Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines

Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines are digital devices used in elections where voters select their choices via a touchscreen or keypad. Once a selection is made, the machine records the vote electronically, without creating a paper record. These machines often produce a summary of votes at the end of the polling period, which can be reviewed and tallied. DREs are valued for their speed and accessibility but are also scrutinized for transparency and security concerns, since they lack a paper trail by default. Some DRE systems incorporate a voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) to enhance transparency.